Oh Hell

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Oh Hell (also known as "Up the River") is an easy-to-learn trick-taking card game, in which the object is to take exactly the number of tricks bid; unlike contract bridge and Spades, an overtrick downs the contract.

Like many popular social card games, it has many local variants and is known by many different names (listed below).

Contents 1 Rules 2 Cooperative version 3 Scoring 4 Alternate names 5 64 Card Version (Named Oh Sh--!) 6 External links

[edit] Rules

There are many variations to this game; a common set of regulations is given here.

Oh Hell can be played with almost any number of players (3+) although 4-7 is considered optimal. The game is played using a standard 52-card deck, with ace being the highest rank, two the lowest. With six or more players, the game can be played with two decks combined or with a 63-card deck from six-player 500.

• In the Oh Hell variation, the first hand is played with one card dealt to each player. On each succeeding deal one more card is dealt out to each player, until there aren't enough cards for another round. After this, the number of cards per player decreases by one every round. The game is complete when the last round (with one card per player) has been played. For example, a four-player match of Oh Hell consists of twenty-three deals, from hand size 1 up to 12 (forty-eight cards dealt and one turned face up for trump; 13 cards cannot be dealt, as there would be no card remaining to declare trump) and back down to 1. Three-player and double-deck variants go up to a maximum hand size of 15 cards. In one common variant, exactly thirteen hands are played -- the final hand, in which each player is dealt 13 cards, is played without a trump suit.

• In the Get Fred variation, the game starts with a hand size that is the largest possible number of cards (but no greater than 9), reducing down to 1 card. The following hand has one card, then progressively returns to the maximum number of cards (again with a maximum of 9). The pattern for the number of cards in a four player game is 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.

The dealer (initially determined by cutting cards) deals out the cards one by one, starting with the player to his left, in a clockwise direction, until the required number of cards has been dealt. After the dealing is complete, the next card is turned face up, and the suit of this card determines the trump suit for the deal, which is why only up to 12 cards are dealt in a four-player match. (If there are no unused cards, the largest hand is played without a trump suit. Alternatively, the maximal round trump suit can be determined in a variety of ways: for instance, by revealing the dealer's last card as in whist.)

Each player now bids for the number of tricks he believes he can win. The player to the left of the dealer bids first. Bidding is unrestricted except for the screw the dealer rule: the number of tricks bid cannot equal the number available. That is, every deal must in total be either overbid or underbid. For example, if five cards are dealt, and the first three bids are two, zero, and one, then the dealer may not bid two. However, if five cards are dealt, and the first three bids are three, one, and two, then the dealer is free to make any bid.

When every player has made a bid, the player to the left of the dealer makes the opening lead. Play then proceeds as usual in a trick-taking game, with each player in turn playing one card. Players must follow suit, unless they have no cards of the led suit, in which case they may play any card. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick unless ruffed, when the highest trump card wins.

In multi-deck games, the first of identical cards to be led (say two queens of clubs) wins the trick. There is also a more complicated variant in which identical cards cancel each other out, leading to the possibility (if the number of players is even) of an entire trick being canceled out.

The player who wins the trick leads to the next trick.

[edit] Cooperative version

In this variant, all bids must add up exactly to the number of cards dealt for that round. Players must then "make it work" to move on to the next round. If anyone takes more or less than their bid, the deal moves to the left and the round is re-dealt. With four players, a second deck may be used to specify the round to be played--the value of the upcard determines the number of cards dealt and the suit determines the trump suit for the round.

[edit] Scoring

There are several alternative methods of scoring:

1. Basic scoring: Each player scores the number of tricks he takes. A player that wins the exact number of tricks bid receives an additional 10 points for making the contract.
2. Exact scoring: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the amount bid. Players who overbid or underbid score nothing.
3. Exact scoring with penalty: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the amount bid. Players who underbid are deducted points in the amount of the bid. (Missing a 3 bid scores -3; missing a zero bid scores 0.) Used in the Hassenpfeffer variant.
4. Exact scoring with penalty where points are multiples of 5: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the amount bid multiplied by 5. Players who underbid are deducted points in the amount of the bid multiplied by 5. (Missing a 3 bid scores (3*(-5))=-15; missing a zero bid scores -10. Making a 5 scores (10+5*5)=35) Used in the Cypriot variant. This variant encourages high bidding due to the amount of possible points to gain.
5. Exact scoring with set penalty: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the amount bid. Players who underbid score only one point for each trick. Players who overbid have "gone set" and lose 10 points, regardless of the number of tricks taken. For example, if a player who has bid four takes exactly 4 tricks, he scores 14. If he takes 5 tricks, he scores 5. If he takes 3 tricks, he scores -10.
6. Exact scoring with progressive penalty: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10 plus the amount bid. Players who underbid or overbid lose the amount of the bid, plus ten points for each trick under or overbid. For example, a player bids 4: If he takes exactly 4 tricks, he scores 14. If he takes 3 or 5 tricks, he scores -14. If he takes 2 or 6 tricks, he scores -24. This variation makes it easier to "pile on the leader" and eliminate even a large lead in just one hand.
7. Reduced 0 bid: Similar to basic (or exact) scoring, with the modification that making a zero contract scores only five points. (Zero bids are often the easiest to make.)
8. Adjusted 0 bid: Similar to basic scoring, with the change that a zero bid is worth five plus the number of cards dealt out to a player. For example, in the first round, a successful zero bid is worth 6 points, while a successful one bid is worth 11 points. (Zero bids are harder to make in larger hands.)
9. Progressive scoring: As in basic scoring, a player that fails to make the contract receives a number of points equal to the number of tricks he takes. However, a successful bid is worth the 10-point threshold plus the square of the bid, thereby rewarding a person bidding and making four tricks with 26 (10 plus 16) points. This has the advantage of rewarding riskier bids, and making it possible for someone to catch up from behind more easily.
10. Simplified / Montreal progressive scoring: Each player receives 10 points for satisfying the contract plus twice the number of tricks taken, otherwise they receive zero points.
11. Negative scoring: The scoring system is reversed, as in golf, lowest score winning. Satisfying the contract scores zero points. The first undertrick or overtrick costs one point, and each additional undertrick/overtrick costs a point more than the one before it. For instance, 3 overtricks would add 6 points (the sum of 1, 2, and 3) to a player's total. This rewards sacrifices, for it is now often beneficial to risk an overtrick (1 point) to cost a person that is already down to get an additional undertrick (which will cost many more points).
12. Simplified negative scoring: Each player scores the square of the number of overtricks or undertricks taken.
13. Spades double: In variations where the trump card is chosen randomly, some play that if a spade is turned up, the points for that round double.
14. Trick scoring: Each player that scores the number of tricks bid receives that many points, with the exception of correctly bidding 0, in which case the player receives a half point. Any overbid or underbid loses the number of points their bid was off (a player bidding 3 tricks that wins only 2 would lose a point, as would a player bidding 2 and winning 3).
15. Binary scoring:: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10. Players who overbid or underbid score nothing.
16. Binary scoring with nil rule:: A player who makes the exact number of tricks bid scores 10. If the number of tricks exceeds the number of players, players who bid nil (zero) score 20 if they take no tricks, otherwise -10.
17. Scratch / Quick scoring:: Players who overbid or underbid get a scratch (signified by crossing through their unsuccessful bid). The person with the least scratches wins the game. In the unusual event there is a tie, the tied player who bid the most wins the game (This is done by adding up each tied-player's successful bids.)
18. Adjusted exact scoring: A player who makes the exact number of tricks receives that number of points plus the number of cards dealt out to a player.
19. Get Fred / Oy Vey scoring: A player who makes the exact number of tricks receives that number of points plus 10. Players who miss the contract loses the difference between the bid and the actual number of tricks taken. A player who bids three and takes either two or four tricks will lose one point. (In the Oy Vey variance, if many player are playing, often a successful bid is worth the 10-point threshold plus the square of the bid. This lifts the scores in the game, as the more players participate the lower the scores are.)

[edit] Alternate names

The phrase "oh, hell" is a mild profanity. Some variant names of the game (such as "Oh Heck") substitute a euphemism, while other variant names use what are considered more serious obscenities.

[edit] 64 Card Version (Named Oh Sh--!)

The most complicated version, created by James Cotton and Nancy Reilly. In this version, the same basic rules of Oh Hell are used except 64 cards are used instead of 52, and the rank of cards is a little different. The regular 52 card deck + 4 jokers, an Ace and 2 of each suit from another deck (same type of deck as original). The jokers must be labeled "Super", "Hi 1", "Hi 2", and "Low". One 2 of each suit must be labeled "Super". With 2 Aces of each suit now in the deck, the first Ace played would rank higher.

The rank of cards in this version looks like this: Highest to Lowest. Trump Rounds: Super 2 - 2 - Super Joker - Hi 1 Joker - Hi 2 Joker - Low Joker - Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3. No Trump Rounds: Ace-King-Queen-....4-3-2-Joker.

Rules: The game starts with each player getting 1 card, then 2 cards, 3 cards, etc. This version also has 2 No Trump hands in the middle. In No Trump hands, Aces are high, Jokers are low Example: If 6 people are playing, you can go up to 10 cards, the order of rounds would then look like this: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-10NT-10NT-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. If you wanted to play a shorter game up to 7, this would be the order of rounds: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-7NT-7NT-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.

During the game you must follow suit, if you can't follow suit, you MUST play trump, if you can't follow suit and don't have the trump suit, you can play whatever card you wish. In No Trump hands, you also must follow suit, if you don't have that suit, you can throw any other card. In No Trump, Jokers are basically wild suit cards. Example: If you bid 1 on the Ace of Hearts, and that is the only heart you have and another player leads with the other Ace of Hearts, a Joker can be played so you don't lose your Ace. If you lead a Joker in No Trump, you must name the suit after you throw it, the highest card of that suit would get the trick, if there are no cards of that suit, the person who threw the Joker would get the trick. Also during No Trump hands, the "Super" 2 is not higher than the regular 2, the first 2 played ranks higher. If a Joker is turned up when the trump suit is selected, the dealer gets to name trump, or the dealer can make it a NO Trump hand.

Scoring: You must make your bid exactly to score points. If you miss your bid, you lose points. 10 points are awarded for a made bid + 3 points for every bid you make, however, if you miss your bid, you lose 3 points per bid. If you miss a 0 bid, you go down 5 points. Example: Player A bids 3 and makes it, his score for that round would be 19 points. Player B bids 1 and misses it, his score for that round would be -3. Player C bids 4, but only gets 3, his score for that round would -12. A player who bids 0 and gets 0, receives 10 points for that round.

[edit] External links

• Online Oh Hell - Free online version against computer opponents
• Oh Hell on BGG - BoardGameGeek's description